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Inspiration from the Pot Calling the Kettle Black

I belong to a community that posts World War II pictures, and a discussion arose between those who felt that Hitler's crimes were worse than Stalin's crimes. It got me to thinking, always dangerous, when a grandchild's birthday celebration is in the offing, the Bruins fell, unexpectedly to the Trojans, and San Diego is about to suffer the fate of the Christians in the Coliseum.... but, WTF, as another generation would say:

Stalin and Hitler agreed on a number of things, amongst which was that the country of Poland had no right to exist, and that might makes right, and that tolerance was weakness, and that only the strong had the right to survive.

Empathy was weakness. Dehumanize your enemies and they are easier to kill. So it has been, and so it continues, and to this day the patriots wrap themselves in the flag and denounce the enemy as inhuman, and resurrect the perceived wrongs of the past to justify the massacre of innocents.

What a blessing to be born, by chance, in America, in a time of relative liberality, but the fight goes on to preserve this heritage that has been dumped in the laps of the fortunate, by mere chance. In watching the PBS program on the Jewish American Experience, I feel eternally grateful to the grandparents who came to the New World and brought their values, and adapted to the values of our evolving democracy. I know how very lucky I am, and I know how delusional it is to bring democracy to a culture that isn't prepared to share the values that we now have, and have acquired by a most indirect path, leaving a trail of murderous conquest behind, and rationalizations to cover the history of our journey.